Reenforcing frame member for toilet articles



Feb. 14, 1933. J. s. WILCOX REENFORCING FRAME MEMBER FOR TOILET ARTICLES2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 29, 1931 ill um Wu MmmWWW J. S. WILCOX Feb.14, 1933.

REENFORCING FRAME MEMBER FOR TOILET ARTICLES Filed Dec. 29, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES JOSEPH S. W'ILCOX,OF ATHOL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNGR TO PATENT QFFEEZ HE VIILCGX COMREENFORCING FRAIIIE MEMBER- FOR- TOILET ARTICLES Application filedDecember 29, 1931.

This invention relates to toilet articles, such as hair-brushes ormirrors, in which an extended body portion is provided, with an integralhandle portion at one end thereof. The frame structure of such toiletarticles is commonly enclosed and concealed within a casing of sheetcelluloid or other suitable material.

In my prior Patent No. 1,730,702 issued October 9, 1929, I have shown ahair-brush having a reenforcing frame member formed from a single pieceof wood, with the central portion cut away to provide a recess for thebristle-holding cement. The use of this reenf'orcing frame memberconstituted a marked improvement over the prior practice of filling aclosed celluloid casing with liquid cement, but was found somewhatexpensive, and it was also found that the light wood frames were rathereasily broken.

It is the general object of my present invention to improve theconstruction shown in my prior patent by providing a reenforcing framemember which may be easily formed, but which is of a morerigidconstruction than that shown in my prior patent and which is much lesssubject to breakage during assembly or use.

While my invention possesses special advantages in connection with themanufacture of hair-brushes, it may also be used to advantage in themanufacture of toilet mirrors and other similar toilet articles.

My invention further relates to arrange ments and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter described and more particular- 1y pointed outin the appended claims.

Two applications of the invention are shown in the drawings. in whichFig. 1 is a plan View, partly in section, of a hair-brush embodying myimprove ments;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a reenforcing Wire frame;

Fig. at is a detail sectional view, taken along the line 44: in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing the preferred method ofholding my improved reenforcing frame member;

Serial 110.583,?85.

Fig. 6 is a plan view, partly in section, of a toilet mirror embodyingmy improvements;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation thereof, and

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional View, taken along the line 8-8 in Fig. 6.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, I have shown a hair-brush havingupper and lower casing members 10 and 11, preferably formed from sheetcelluloid or other similar material, and molded into any desired orornamental form. These casing members are commonly provided withoutwardly project ing flange portions 12, which are cemented togetherafter the brush is assembled.

i1 reenforcing frame member is provided within the outer casing, whichreenfo 'cing member may comprise a handle portion 1! and a body portion18 having an open center to receive the inner ends of bristles B(Fig. 1) and also to receive a mass of cement C by which the bristles Bare retained in place. The reenforcing frame 15 is preferably formed ofsome hard-setting plastic material, such plast r-of-Paris, and isprovided with a wire reenforcement 2O embedded therein. Thisreeniorcement 20 preferably consists of a single piece of heavy wire,shaped roughly to the outline of the body portion of the brush, andhaving the handle portion 21 formed by twisting the wires together, asindicated in Fig. 3.

The reenforcing member 15 may be easily constructed. by placing the wirereenforcement 20 l a suitable mold M (Fig. 5) and then fillin themoldwith a mass of plastic material T. After the plaster is firmly set,the complete reenforcing frame member is removed from the mold and maybe placed wi nin a lower casing member 11 of correspending outline.

The bristles B may then be inserted in the usual manner. and the opencentral space within the rcen ting member 15 may be filled with anysuitable cement C by which the bristles securely retained. The thickne"of the member 15 preferably substan tially equal to the depth of thespace between the casing members.

The upper casing member 10 is applied after the cement C has beeninserted, and the cementing together of the flanges 12 then com pletesthe construction of the brush.

The wire reenforcement 20, being continuous throughout andof substantialcross section, affords a strong and rigid foundation for my improvedreenforcing frame member 15, and the plastic material T provides thenecessary thickness and body for the reenforcing member and is shaped bythe mold M to fit accurately within corresponding casing members 10 and11. V

The invention may be readily adapted to difierent designs by providing asuitable mold M for each desired outline. The wire reenforcement may bereadily bent to fit within any selected mold M.

In Figs. 6 to 8 I have shown my invention embodied in the structure of asmall toilet or hand mirror, In this case, the same wire reenforcementand the same plastic material are used, but the open center is replacedby a recess of the right shape and depth to rereive a mirror glass 31.

Furthermore, the upper casing member 32 is provided with an open centerportion and with an offset inner flange 33 positioned to en age thebeveled edge portion of the glass llk 31 and to firmly retain the glassin position.

Otherwise the construction shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is substantiallysimilar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 5 and possesses correspondingadvantages. 7

I have provided a reenforcing frame memher which is easily constructedin any desired outline, and which is of great rigidity and not liable tobreakage, either before or after embodiment in a finished article. Theinvention is of diminished but substantial value in articles in whichthe handle portions are omitted.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth inthe claims, but what I claim is 1. In a toilet articlehaving a casing, areenforcing frame member separate from but mountedwithin said casing and having a central recess, said frame .member beingformed of substantially rigid hardened material and having a wirereenforcement embedded therein and extending continuously around saidcentral recess.

2. In a toilet article having a casing with a handle portion, areenforcing frame member separate from but mounted within said casingand extending into said handle and having a. central recess, said framemember being formed of substantially rigid hardened material and havinga wire reenforcement embedded therein and extending continuously aroundsaid central recess and into said handle portion.

3. In a toilet article having a casing with v a handle portion, areenforcing frame member mounted within said casing and having a centralrecess, said frame member being separatev from but fitting. closelyadjacent the sidewalls of said casing and being formed of substantiallyrigid hardened material, and said frame member having a Wirereenforcement embedded-therein and extending c0ntinuously around saidframe, with the ends of said reenforcing member and said wire extendinginto and stiffening said handle portion, and the ends of said wire beingtwisted together in said handle portion.

5. In a toilet article having a casing with a handle portion, areenforcing frame member mounted within said casing and formed ofsubstantially rigid hardened material, said frame member being separatefrom but having a wire reenforcement embedded therein and extendingcontinuously around said frame member, said frame member and said wireextending into and stifiening said handle portion, and the middleportion of said frame member being open to receive bristle ends andbristle-holding cement Within said casing. V

In testimony whereof I have hereunto-affixed my signature.

JOSEPH s. Wrroox.

